From Environmental Defense, forwarded by Jane Clark Tell our senators to stop the Bush administration's latest attempt to sell America's public lands and drill the Arctic Refuge President Bush has delivered his 2008 budget to Congress, and his assault on our public lands continues. Once again he has proposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and sacrificing this crown jewel for meager oil revenues. Once again he has proposed selling off almost a million acres of public forest and park lands to private developers to help balance the federal budget. This renewed raid on our public lands would span 35 states and sacrifice stretches of prime wildlife habitat. These federal lands are also treasured as vacation and hunting and fishing areas by nearby residents and faraway visitors. They are part of America's natural heritage, and should not be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Although Congress has rejected similar previous proposals, it is clear that the administration has no intention of retreating. So to stave off this and future administration assaults on our public lands, Senator Bingaman (D-NM) has introduced an amendment to the Senate's budget resolution that would nearly prohibit the sale of federal lands and oil from the Arctic Refuge to reduce the federal deficit. The Senate is scheduled to vote on Senator Bingaman's amendment either tomorrow or Friday. == What to do == Call your senators *right away* at the numbers listed below. Tell your senators to vote Yes for Senator Bingaman's amendment to the budget resolution that would prohibit selling our public lands to reduce the deficit. Senator Grassley (202) 224-3744 Senator Harkin (202) 224-3254 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/